Ungrateful Hope
by Eduu Elric
Summary: Have you seen Conqueror of Shamballa? Then, read this fic. Edward and Alphonse, on the other side of the gate...coming back?
1. Chapter 1

**Ungrateful Hope**

_Amime Ending + Movie spoiler_

Moscow, 1931

Two years have passed since the last time the two alchemists had returned from Shambala.

Edward was sitting on a wooden chair, in front of the small window, staring at the morning sunshine with a distant look. "The things are right this way" - that's what Full Metal was trying to believe since he came back. A portrait laid on the corner table revealed a picture of his father, beside Trisha and his two little sons, in a nice and nostalgic place, surrounded by light-green grass and a deep blue sky, where they were once happy...

"Why did it happen?" Edward's thoughts about Hohenheim leaving his mother behind in such a desperate time couldn't be stopped…

The room on the upper level of that humble inn was been illuminated by the fist brightness of the day. The wooden floor and the wooden furniture were old and gave a regular look to the place – the brownness was uniform and the only thing that broke that predictable and normal appearance was the cape. The scarlet cape once used by a fantastic alchemist who protected lives, transmuted weapons, deceived enemies…was there, thrown at a corner, just like a faded dream, just like a unbelievable truth that could be forgotten.

- What is it Ed? – Alphonse was awakening. – You look sad again…Are you thinking about there, brother?

No sound was heard. But Al would know the answer. Almost everyday he was caught in a distant dimension where his dreams ruled their thoughts and his heart was drowned in agony and hope. It was an ungrateful hope, by the way. Edward wanted so badly a chance to open the gate once more. Clap his hands. Use alchemy! Be an alchemist. Be the Full Metal Alchemist. See Winry, Hawkeye, Mustang – "That bastard…" – and a slight smile came out of his face.

But it wasn't possible, it wasn't right. "The equivalent trade…"

"The philosopher's stone..." His father spent ages alive changing bodies, making his existence restless, messing people's feelings, only in name of the alchemy. "Would I do the same?" "Would I hide my true falling-apart being, my curse?" Edward looked at his Automail and couldn't help remembering...

"The hero who approached the sun had his wings destroyed and fell on the ground". He knew he would understand, Alphonse would, his mother for sure!

"Would she? Would he?

"Would I?"

Alphonse got up and placed himself beside his brother, putting his hand on Ed's shoulder and started looking at the same direction. At that moment, both brothers had the same feeling, the same thoughts, the same pain trying to explode, the same damn sensation of being useless…the same damn sensation of having possibly made the wrong choice.

- I want to go back there Alphonse… At least once more…

- You also have the sensation of belonging there…What are we doing here?

- Paying our price… - and a miserable look took Ed's face and made his golden eyes lose their shine.

- Should we really pay it? – Alphonse was at that moment, fed by a thrilling vibe – I mean...You're alive and I got my body and my memories back at last, after these two years. We have already paid for that don't you think?

- What do you mean? - Edward looked at Alphonse's face, filled with determination.

- Edward! Our father died. Scar sacrificed his life for us. Wrath did the same. We got rid of that cruel woman who wanted to destroy our world. We saved it! We have plenty of knowledge which Izumi-sensei taught us to be good alchemists. We spent two whole years in this world where people can't even dream.

Edward felt uncomfortable.

And Alphonse walked to the corner where the ruby cloak was lied and grabbed it fiercely, throwing it on Edward's lap.

- I wanna be Alphonse Elric. Brother of the Full Metal Alchemist! Not a forgotten memory! I bet you want that to. Or else you… - and he stared at the sunshine once again - …you would have already destroyed the gate…

Edward stood up and put on his cape. He felt unbeatable, unbreakable, the same way he used to feel there in Shambala. Every cells of his body were ready to burst and his yellow glowing eyes were shining over again.

- We'll study that thing until we open it Al! "Knowledge obtained without sacrifice doesn't worth value" And now I say: Knowledge obtained without value, doesn't worth a sacrifice! Let's go Alphonse! – And a true Edward opened the door and climbed down the stairs, running as a child after a rainbow.

- That's my brother! – And a proud Alphonse closed his fists in a symbol of willpower and trust. – Wait for me will you? Ed? EDWARD!!!

But the alchemist had already left the building.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ungrateful Hope – Chapter 2**

**Info: **this story happens in Moscow, 1927 okay?

After the movie, and after chapter 1, obviously.

I hope you like it! If you do, TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!! xD

**Oh! And I used some sentences from "Butterfly" – Digimon Adventure 01 (theme song)**

And Riza 9 – I stole your onyx eyes

Edward and Alphonse rushed out of the humble inn and passed through the Flower Shop. Officer Hughes was there, hitting on Gracia and trying to fake a fake interest in all those types of flowers. His eyes were deep inside Gracia's soul and possibly the woman felt a mix of lovely heat with a sweet invasion from the officer. They both had a distant and silly look every time they met. A tiny little spark every time they looked at each other. A slight breeze coming from nowhere, chilling their hearts and making them float…every time they thought about each other.

Noa was in the back, so busy with the mathematic and the sums that barely noticed the Elrics running. Since she was used by Ms. Eckhardt as a mere puppet to open the gate, her self confidence was weak. Her will to belong somewhere was desperate, her spirit was empty and her force was pointless.

Edward was thrilled. Alphonse could finally convince him to give a shot, to open the gate once more and to find a real proof that could make the "equivalent exchange" a fair trade. To find a real proof of his existence. To feel alive! To be an alchemist! To be the Full Metal Alchemist! It was indescribable. It was such a fantastic feeling that nothing could stop him at that moment. At least, Edward Elric was back.

"Edward!!! Wait for me!" – yelled Alphonse, running after his brother.

Edward had finally stopped. "You're to slow Al! You were faster when you were made of iron!" And Alphonse replied, angry "I heard that! When I reach you I'm gonna kill you brother!" And the boy's eyes filled with fire and he dashed faster to catch up with Ed. Al hit him in the head.

"What are you doing? If you kill me we'll never go back to Winry!" And after a moment, both of them laughed as they never laughed since their first transmutation circle.

Edward said that they had to go to 'Monique College' and draw the circle again. It was there where they first made contact with Shamballa, and where the armor containing Al's piece of soul first showed up in that world…Also the place where father was killed by Envy's jaws…also the place where Wrath and Gluttony fought for the last time…

_I wonder if we'll reach the skies_

But a question showed up inside Edward's mind. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to answer it…because there was no answer for it. "How to open the damn gate?"

_After an endless dream, in this world of nothingness. _

_It seems as if our beloved dreams will lose_

"We…we don't have alchemy…" Edward stopped. "We don't have a sacrifice…" Edward looked back. "We don't have anyone to help us on the other side…" Edward went down to his knees. "We…we can't go back…." Edward shed a tear.

_After an endless dream, in this world of nothingness_

"What is it brother?" Alphonse noticed that his brother went back to his miserable thoughts and that ungrateful hope was killing his heart and making he feel the most unhappy human being in the face of the Earth. A heart tied by happiness and riddled with emotion. Choked by belief, challenged by logic, defeated. Defeated.

_Even with these unreliable wings, covered in images that tend to stay_

_I'm sure we can fly, on my love_

"Giving up already?" – A man approached and stood beside him. "I have the feeling that I know you…" Edward looked at his face: his deep black hair and profound onyx eyes remembered a familiar face. A face he could count on…a possible answer to his agony.

"Colonel Roy Mustang, that bastard!"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


End file.
